A prophet is not without honor

Then he went out from there and came to his own country, and his disciples followed him. And when the Sabbath had come, he began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing him were astonished, saying, "Where did this man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to him, that such mighty works are performed by his hands! Is this not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?" So they were offended at him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house." Now he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief. Then he went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.

And he called the twelve to himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits. He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff--no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts--but to wear sandals, and not to put on two tunics. Also he said to them, "In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place. And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!" So they went out and preached that people should repent. And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.

- Mark 6:1-13

In this marvelous passage, we are given pictures of two movements: Jesus going to his home country and preaching and meeting "unbelief" -- and the apostles being sent out on their first mission. Of course, the groupings in the readings, the paragraphs and chapters and verses we group them into, are all created by the organization of the Church through time. The original texts did not come separated or grouped by paragraph as we read it above. But, of course, it is the flow of the texts that are so important, and create so much understanding. This is why I like to follow each book chapter by chapter, in sequence -- because the sense of each passage flows from one to the other. As written, the books of the New Testament flow from one verse or episode to another, and inform us as they go along, so that we get a clear picture of the growth of this ministry and the teachings and healings and preaching of Jesus.

So, in today's text, we examine two things: Jesus travels and teaches in his home country, and he sends the apostles out upon their first mission. Let us begin with the first part: Then he went out from there and came to his own country, and his disciples followed him. And when the Sabbath had come, he began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing him were astonished, saying, "Where did this man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to him, that such mighty works are performed by his hands! Is this not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?" So they were offended at him. Jesus travels to his home country, where everybody knows him as the carpenter's son. And his neighbors and those who know him are astonished at the identity he reveals through his teaching. How can he have such insights? How can he be so different from the person they knew as the carpenter's son? My study bible notes that, "they are offended because they can do none of his works, and they are unwilling to accept a far greater role and dignity for him." There is also a note that in Scripture, the words brothers and sisters can refer to stepbrothers and stepsisters. I will not speculate as to the biological relationship implied or meant. I think it is sufficient to understand the text as referring to a neighborhood, a hometown, a place where he grew up among extended family and neighbors who know him. What is important is to understand their disbelief, and that they took offense at him.

But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house." This distinctive and powerful phrase is one we keep in mind as we read through all the gospels. What is it about a powerful and true prophecy that inspires rejection in one's home and among one's kin and in one's own country? Why is this so? Jesus does not pronounce this for himself only. There are other places in the gospels where he will also refer to the stoning and killing and rejection of prophets. Now he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief. My study bible notes that, "Jealousy affects faith. Every person could have been restored. But in the absence of faith, Jesus does not release the divine power which is always his." We have seen in yesterday's reading how faith restored both the woman with the years-long bloodflow and the daughter of Jairus, a leader of the synagogue. But here in Jesus' home country, where they all know him, he is not accepted in his true identity that is being revealed among the population through his ministry. I also think it's important to note that even Jesus marvels at their unbelief; it is also a deep surprise to him, a kind of revelation of response to that which he reveals in himself in his ministry. Then he went about the villages in a circuit, teaching. This sentence is included in the same verse in which we read that Jesus "marveled because of their unbelief." He is setting out, continuing in his work, and, after rejection in his home country, will expand his work.

And he called the twelve to himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits. Jesus sends out his apostles on their first mission. They go out two-by-two, for mutual support. In this spiritual battle of belief and unbelief, we always see Jesus going forward, sending forth his "troops" if you will. In this case, the first thing we are told is that they are given power over unclean spirits. This is a frequent theme in Mark's gospel: ever-present is the understanding of a spiritual warfare going on. The apostles and disciples are soldiers in a spiritual army: they are sent out to bring their peace -- but it is up to others how they will receive that peace. He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff--no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts--but to wear sandals, and not to put on two tunics. They are to focus solely on their mission of preaching, teaching and healing, and casting out demons. They will rely on God for their mission. Also, this prevents any accusation of greed, as noted in my study bible. The soldiers "sent out" on this mission are armed only with a healing and preaching charisma. In Matthew's gospel they are told, "Freely you have been given, therefore freely give." These are not the swaggering soldiers who take loot and plunder; this is a different war, and these soldiers are armed with humility and the gifts of God, the power that Christ has invested in them to do their work he has given them to do. Those who wish to hear and receive will do so not by material means of persuasion, not by a powerfully impressive social display of wealth or power, but by a true response to what they offer. Also he said to them, "In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place." This is an admonition again for humility and humble behavior: they are not to switch homes to ostensibly find more ostentatious quarters. Whoever welcomes them is where they must stay. "And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!" Shaking the dust from their sandals is the most powerful rebuke they will offer as they depart. It is a symbolic gesture of judgment. These soldiers have no other weapon, will cause no other retaliation because of their rejection. The judgment is left to God. It is in the hands of the Spirit, not the apostles, to render judgment. We should understand that these are whole cities where there was no welcome offered to stay. It is just as if Jesus in his person is rejected. So they went out and preached that people should repent. And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them. The spiritual battle is waged on this successful mission: they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick. My study bible notes: "God gives His power, His energy, to human beings and through human beings--to and through those who repent. He shares with us by grace what is His by nature. The disciples anointed with oil as part of the act of healing, for by the Incarnation of Christ creation is renewed: oil and water become instruments of healing and renewal for the human race." We recall also the story of the Good Samaritan, who put oil as a balm on the wounds of the man he met and cared for. Olive oil was the basis for all healing ointment and balm in the ancient world. The word "eleos" in Greek is the word for mercy. In sound it is identical to the word for "olive oil" -- all "mercy" in these texts connotes healing, on every level. And Christ himself is the "Anointed One" -- this is the meaning of the word "Christ." So, all this healing and power is shared as grace, part of the gift of God's mercy invested in us, shared with us, and which we may share in turn as we participate in the Body of Christ. This first mission is exemplary of all of these things. These are the weapons of spiritual battle, and the day of judgment that is left to God.

How do we proceed from here? This Lent, how do we consider this passage from the gospel of Mark? I see it as perseverance! Always, Jesus expands and grows his ministry. In the face of setback, of unbelief and hardness of heart, the ministry grows. This is a peaceful form of asserting what is right and true, and what Jesus is here to do as his mission. In this passage, he expands the mission of the apostles, and invests in them all that is his to heal and to preach and teach and minister. They are sent out on their first mission after Jesus is rejected in his home. What does this teach us about perseverance? We know that setbacks will come! We must take for our own lives the picture of Jesus himself, rejected in his own home. Even he "marveled at their unbelief." The persistence of a prayer life, and a life of faith, is not measured by what we popularly call successes. It is however, measured by our persistence in that peace and that understanding of what we have been given, our willingness to follow through with patience, and not to expect what we may deem a "perfect life." The rewards and virtues of the saints are patience, perseverance, faith, humility: all exemplified in Jesus and his apostles. In your life, how do you measure success? What is your goal, your virtue?